Draft-gear yoke



' e. c MURRAY.

DRAFT GEAR YOKE.

APPLICATION FILED 05cm. 1919.

1,391,203. PatentedSept. 20,1921.

v 2 SHEETS-SHEET l- "7 g llmflllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllil! G. C.MURRAY.

DRAFT GEAR YOKE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC-1|, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented Sept. 20,1921.

Z /M/ ,.;%MM%% PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE C. MURRAY, 01'! CHICAGO; ILLINOIS.

DRAFT-GEAR YOKE;

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept]. 20, 1921.

Application filed December 11, 1919. SeIiaI No. 344,003.

To all lwhom'it may concern:

Be it known that I, Gnonon C. MURRAY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Draft-Gear Yokes, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a'draft gear yoke for railway cars and itspurpose is to provide a yoke having improved means for securing thecoupler butt therein.

The rinoipal object of the invention is to provide a shouldered couplerbutt in combination with a yoke having-a movable block adapted to betilted into a position wherein it engages one of the shoulders of thebutt. A further object is to provide a yoke having a movable blockadapted to lie in a substantially horizontal position during theinsertion of the coupler butt into the yoke and to be tilted forwardlyabout its lower edge after the coupler has been inserted, improved meansbeing provided for retaining the block in its upright position whereinit engages one of the shoulders of the butt. Other objects relate tovarious other features of construction and arrangement which will beclescribed more fully hereinafter.

The nature of the invention will be understood from the followingspecification taken with the accompanying drawings in which oneembodiment is illustrated.

In the drawings Figure 1 shows a side elevation of the coupler butt andyoke with the forward part of the yoke illustrated in vertical sectionon the line 11 ofFig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through a shank of the coupler showing afront elevation of the yoke andcoupler butt; I

Fig. 3 is a sectional view similar to that of Fig. 1 throughthe forwardendof'the yokeshowing the position of the movable block during theinsertion of the coupler butt; 1

Fig. 4 shows a horizontal section through the forward end of the yoke onthe line 44 of Fig. 1 with the coupler butt removed;

Fig. 5 shows a horizontal sectional view through the forward end of theyoke throu h the line 5-5 of Fig. 3 with the cou- V pler' butt removed;

Fig. 6 shows an enlarged perspective view of the forward end ofthe'lower wall of the yoke showing the means for supporting and guidingthe movable block; and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the movable,

extends downwardly to engage the upper' shoulder 16 of the coupler butt17 The coupler butt 17 is adapted to rest at its rear end on the lowerwall 12 of the yoke as shown at 18. From the part 18, the lower wallinclines downwardly as shown at 19 and is then directed forwardly asshown at 20, thusforming. a depression 21 beneath the coupler-butt. Thepart20 of the lower wall terminates in a. transverse shoulder 22 andthis shoulder terminates at its ends in forwardly extendinglugsorflanges 23 which are formed integrally with the side walls 14. Theshoulder 22 and the lug 23 are adapted to coact. with the movable block25 which is adapted to engage the lower shoulder 26 of the coupler butt.This block is provided with a rounded lower edge 25 which is adapted torotate on the rounded surface formed on the lower wall at the lower edgeof the'shoulder 22 and the block increases in v thickness toward itsupper edge, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.-

'During'the insertion of the coupler butt into the yoke, the block 25 isadapted to rest in a substantially horizontal position .onthepart 20 ofthe lower wall, as illustrated in Fig. 3. The block' 25 is provided 7 atits upper edge with longitudinally extending ears or lugs-27 and whentheblock 25 is in its horizontal positi0n,-'these ears are adapted tolie rearwardly of the curved ribs or guides 28 which are'formedintegrally with the side walls 14. and extend upwardly and forwardlyfrom the part 20 of the lower wall. When inserting the coupler ordrawbar butt into the yoke, the shank 17 of the coupler or .drawbar istilted downwardly in order to pass'the coupler butt beneath the shoulder15 and after the coupler butt has vreachedthe rearward positionillustrated by full lines in Fig. 8, the block 25 is tilted upwardlyabout its lower edge until the lugs 27 pass over the upper ends of theguides 28. During this tilting movement, the block is lifted bodily fromthe lower wall of the yoke andafter it has reached a position beyond theupper'edges of the guides 28, the block drops into position between thelugs 23 and the forward edges 28 of the guides, with the lower edge ofthe'block resting against the shoulder 22. The block is then heldrigidly againstmovement and is secured in the proper position to coactwith the lower shoulder of the coupler butt when the latter is in itsnormal forward position. When the coupler butt moves rearwardly duringthe compression of the draft gear, the

ribs or guides 28 will'prevent the block fromtilting downwardly to itslower position. For the purpose of facilitating the movement of theblock,'the portion 20 of the lower wall is provided with an aperture 29into which a suitable toolmay be inserted to engage a centrally locateddepression 30 'which is formed in the underside of the block. An upwardpush on the tool inserted through the aperture 29 will lift the blockupwardly through the guide ribs 28.

' wardly, longitudinal lugs 32 are preferabl In order to prevent therearward movement of the block 25 when it is being pushed upformed onthe lower edges of the block and these lugs project beyond the ribs 28so that they are a daptedto engage the forward sides of the ribs duringthe tilting of the block.'

When the coupler butt i to be removed from the yoke, it is firstdisplaced rearwardly and then :the block is elevated in the reverse dirof removable device for securing the block in position. After thecoupler butt has been inserted and at all times during the operationofthe draft gear, the coupler butt is supported entirely by .the lowerwall of the yoke upon which it rests directly so that all strainsareremoved from the block 25 ex- 'cept the forward force impartedthereto by the lower shoulder of the coupler butt.

. 1 Although I have shown and described one formof the invention forpurposesof illustration, it will be understood that it may beconstructed in various other forms without departing from claims.

I claim 1. The combination with a yokehaving the scope of the appendedupp'erand lower arms and a hooded forward end, of a drawbar having ashouldered butt adapted to be received within said hooded end, saidlower arm being'adapted to engage and support said butt, means carriedby said -yoke for engaging .one shoulder of said butt,

a movable block being adapted to be tilted upwardly and forwardly aboutits lower edge into position to engage the other shoulder of said buttafter the latter has been inserted in said yoke, and means formedintegrally withsaid yoke for holding said block in saidlast-namedposition after it has been tilted. f

- 2. The combination with a yoke having upper and lower arms and ahooded forward end, of a drawbar having a shouldered" butt adapted to"be received within said hooded end, said lower arm having a part adaptedto engage and support said'butt, means carried by said yoke for engagingonev shoulder of said butt, said yoke being provided with a lugadjacent. the other shoulderof said butt, a movable block adapted to'betilted. V forwardly of said yoke to engage said other shoulder of saidbutt after said butt has been displaced rearwardly on said lower arm,and means in addition to said lower wallformed integrally with said yoketo hold said block in position against said lug. 1

3. The combination with a yoke having; upper and lower arms and a hoodedfor-. Y ward end, of a drawbar having a shouldered butt adapted rto 'bereceived within; said hooded end, means carriedby said hooded end toengage one shoulder of said butt, a.

movable block adapted to be tilted into'posi tion' to engage the othershoulder-of. said I butt, and means carried by saidyoke for guiding saidblock in its tilting ,movement and preventing the reverse tiltingthereof. 4:. The combination. with a yoke having end, of a drawbarhaving a shouldered butt adapted to be received within said hooded "100.upper and lower arms anda hooded forward I end, means carried by'saidhooded end to engage one shoulder of saidbutt, a movable, block adaptedto be tilted into position to J engage the other shoulder of said butt,and

means carried by said yoke for guiding said 7 block in its tiltingmovement, said lastnamed means being adapted to hold said block in saidposition engaging said other shoulder of said'butt. V r r 5. Thecombination with "a yokexhaving. upper and lower. arms and a hoodedforward end, of a drawbar having a shouldered butt adapted to bereceivedwithin said hooded" end, means carried by said hooded end to"; engageone shoulder of said butt, and a movable block adapted tobe tilted intopo sition to engage the'other shoulder of said butt, said blockbeingcapable of'being tilted to inoperative position within said hoodedend to release said butt onlyafter the latter has been' displaced.rearwardly' in said jyoke, said yoke having a part over which a part ofsaid block must belifted inmoving from one position to the other.

6. The combination with a yoke having v upper and lower arms and ahooded forward end, of a drawbar having a shouldered butt adapted to bereceived within said hooded over which a part of said block must belifted in moving from one position to the end,

other, said block being located entirely infront of said butt whenengaging said other shoulder, said butt being supported entirely by thelower arm of said yoke.

7. The combination with a yoke having upper and lower arms and a hoodedforward end, of a drawbar provided with a shouldered butt adapted to bereceived within said hooded end, a flange carriedat the forward end ofsaid upper arm to engage the upper shoulder of said butt, another flangecarried at the forward end of the lower arm of said yoke, a movableblock seated within said forward end and adapted to be tilted about itslower edge to a position against said lastnamed flange to engagev thelower shoulder of said butt, a projecting part carried by said yoke, andadapted to be passed over said projection during the tilting of saidblock.

8. The combination with a yoke having upper and lower arms and a hoodedforward end, of a drawbar provided with a shouldered butt adapted to bereceived within said hooded end, a flange carried at the forward end ofsaid upper arm to engage the upper shoulder of said butt, another flangecarried at the forward end of the lower arm of said yoke, a movableblock seated within said forward end and adapted to be tilted about itslower edge to a position against said lastnamed flange to engage thelower shoulder of said butt, a projecting part carried by said yoke, andmeans carried by said block and adapted to be passed over saidprojecting art during the tilting of said block, said block beingadapted to seat between said last-named flange and said projecting partwhen it is in position to engage the lower shoulder of said butt.

9. The combination with a yoke having upper and lower arms and a hoodedforward of a drawbar having a shouldered butt adapted to be receivedwithin said hooded end, a shoulder carried by said upper arm to engagethe upper shoulder of saidbutt, another shoulder carried at the forwardend of said lower arm, a movable block adapted to rest on said lower armbehind said second-named shoulder during the insertion of said butt intosaid yoke, said block being and means carried by said block.

capable of being tilted upwardly to a position against said second-namedshoulder after said butt has been displaced rearwardly in said yoke,projecting parts carried by the side walls of said yoke, and projectinglugs carried by said block and adapted to pass over said projectingparts in moving said block to butt-engaging position.

10. The combination with a yoke having upper and lower arms and sidewalls forming a hooded forward end, of a drawbar having ashoulderedbutt, a flange carried at the forward end of said upper arm toengage the upper shoulder of said butt, another flange carried at theend of said lower arm, lugs projecting upwardly against said side wallsat the ends of said second-named flange, other projecting parts formedintegrally with said side walls rearwardly of said lugs, and a movableblock adapted to seat between said projecting parts and said lugs and toengage said second-named flange, said block being adapted to engage thelower shoulder of said butt.

11. The combination with a yoke having upper and lower arms and sidewalls forming a hooded forward end, of a drawbar having a shoulderedbutt, a flange carried at the forward end of said upper arm to engagethe upper shoulder of said butt, another flange carried at the end ofsaid lower arm, lugs projecting upwardly against said side walls at theends of said second-named flange, ribs formed on the side walls of saidyoke rearwardly of said lugs, and a movable block adapted to rest onsaid lower arm and to underlie said butt during the insertion of thebutt into said yoke, said block having longitudinally projecting lugslocated rearwardly of said ribs when said block is resting on said lowerarm, said block being adapted to be tilted upwardly and forwardly to aposition wherein it seats against said second-named flange and saidfirst-named lugs.

12. The combination with ayoke having upper and lower arms and sidewalls forming a hooded forward end, of a drawbar having a shoulderedbutt, a flange carried at the forward end of said upper arm to engagethe upper shoulder of said butt, another flang carried at the end ofsaid lower arm, lugs projecting upwardly against said side walls at theends of said second-named flange, ribs formed on the side walls of saidyoke rearwardly of said lugs, a movable block adapted to rest on saidlower arm and to underlie said butt during the insertion of the buttinto said yoke, said block having longitudinally projecting lugs locatedrearwardly of said ribs when said block is resting on said lower arm,said block being adapted to be tilted upwardly and forwardly to aposition wherein it seats against said secondnamed flange and saidfirst-named lugs, the

projecting lugson said block being adapted to drop downwardly betweenthe ends of said ribs and said first-named lugs When said block reachesits forward position.

13. The combination with a yoke having upper and lower arms and sidewalls forming a hooded forward end, of a drawbar having a shoulderedbutt, a flange carried at the forward end of said'upper arm to engagethe'upper shoulder of said butt, a second flange carried at the forwardend of said lower arm, a movableblock adapted to rest on the lower armof said yoke rearwardly of said second-named flange during the insertionof said butt into said yoke, ribs formed on the side Walls of said yokerearwardly of said second-named flange'and at the ends of said block,and lugs formed on the ends of said block and overlapping said ribsrear; wardly thereof, said block being adapted to second-named flangeand its rearward face seats against the forward ends of said ribs,

said block in said last-named position being:

adapted to engage the lower shoulder ofsaid butt.

my name.

GEORGE o, MURRAY.

In testimony whereof, I have subscribed V

